MY WITCH S2: D is for Dreams
by NotQuiteNormOld
Summary: ..or nightmares. Nerissa's strength over Will may be slipping, and her reaction is to tackle the rest of W.i.t.c.h., but will her efforts only raise awareness of her being? And the girls aren't the only ones having dreams..
1. Chapter 1

_"Please.." Irma knew, that no matter how she pleaded, no one was listening. They weren't playing a game! This wasn't a joke.. But she desperately searched the scene; people laughing, drinking coffee as the street lamps shone over the nightly scene. "I can't find my-"_

_A single gunshot sounded, then, and the air seemed to chill; frozen water covering the ground, as colourful lights flashed, and a soft tune played it's melody around her._

_She ran._

_She slipped._

_She saw him, and knew what had happened; her eyes darting over the scene._

_"DAD!"  
><em>

**...  
><strong>

_Taranee._

_Tarantula._

_Taranee.._

_"SPIDER!"_

_Taranee shrieked, as the comparison of her name to the spider was sung in some sweet melody.. And the grotesque beasts clawed their legs, darting over the floor and creating a sheet of black darkness with combined bodies.._

_Scraping their legs.._

_Clawing at her sight; mocking with their thousands of eyes, for there was at least a thousand spiders; more, because they covered the floor if this infinity of space; her only option being the whitest white staircase.. A winding accent, that seemed to go on forever, but they were closer!_

_Behind her!_

_She couldn't get away!_

_Chasing her up the stairs!_

_Their webs, entangled, stripping the clean beauty of such a shape.._

_The staircase coated in the thick dusty string.._

_Behind her.._

_Behind her!_

_IN FRONT OF HER!_

_The end._

_No more._

_Only now did she realize, the staircase was black with their bodies.._

_Only now.._

_Did she realize.._

_The drop that went forever..  
><em>

_"NO!"_

_Forever.._

_"I...d-don't like heights.."_

_The thousands and millions of swarming bodies.._

_"..o-or sp-spid-d-ders.."  
><em>

**...**_  
><em>

_The air was a magic, in itself, though others might claim it to be the direction._

_Wind._

_The hurricane, tumbling breezily around her; the playful flutter, that signified her sleep.._

_Had been disrupted._

_Now, Hay Lin shook, as harsh, bitter, aggressive bites of her companion, whirled like cloudy, savages had uneased a storm.._

_She felt like lightning was coming._

_...And in this entire resentment; the fighting wind, trying so hard to protect her.. To send else-wise away.. It was in no way the hurricane that made Hay Lin quiver. The cold of it might make her breath stilt so slightly..._

_It was what was trying to take her. To steal her in her sleep._

_Tears, ran down Hay Lins face, as the song of the death of her willingness played. A song that made her wish to wail. A song that birds would never sing, for fear of waking the beast and no.. No.. She was wrong.. Not her willingness.._

_Her will._

_Whatever that was meant to mean; the wind's moan was covered before she could ask what was wrong with her will. Covered by the wail. The song that was a lullibye to only those who could not truly hear it. The song.. The tune.. The melody.._

_The trill._

_Will._

_Trill._

_Will._

_Trill._

_Will._

_"NO! PLEASE GET OUT OF MY DREAM!"  
><em>

**...**

_And she let him push her back; enjoying the fierce sadomasochism of her wings hitting the bars behind them. Around them. And she forgot that she wasn't this: she forgot that she was fourteen, and he could've had her, had he wanted her. He did want her. And it was rubbing off: right there in some, make-shift cell; Will smirked with her_  
><em>eyes on those trembling lips that had just left hers; his hand disappearing for a moment, before she could feel his warm arms; searing hot arms, his wrists smoothing down against her own before one hand found both of hers: his arms around the bars, and hers in between; meeting outside the cell.<em>

_And Will didn't take her eyes up, but her smile remained a wry twist of glossy lips; feeling the confidence of her body, and absorbing his wants into her own; rejecting any of his fears. Her gaze wandered down his neck, and to the chest visible beneath cotton layers; his breathing the only sound. His heavy breathing and her own. Will could watch a prominent droplet of sweat roll down that neck, amidst the heavy noise; her mind working a thousand times too fast, as she grazed her teeth over her lips to quirk that he must be getting old, if he was that tired already.._

_But then a clank. His fumbling fingers on her wrists and hands replaced with a cold metal: a cold metal she started to feel, running up her body in two bars: her eyes flashing up to his to.._

_It wasn't sweat, after all; he was crying again.. And Will felt her heavy, excited breaths becoming shallow, agitated as he stumbled back and she_  
><em>followed him-<em>

_Clank. She'd tried to follow him, but she'd been thinking about his mouth; wanting it to attack, again, her own, not bothering to listen to the silent mumbling; he'd been muttering to himself. Murmuring. "I'm.. So.. I'm sorry Will.. So sorry.."_

_Will jerked; her eyes becoming wide and alert, and frightened as he backed clumsily; new tears forming, as she desperately pulled against the will of the metal restraints. It had been a trick._

_It had all been a trick. One great lie; to get her to stand still, and of course she had. And all those kisses; those previous kisses were just the same; in leading to this; to make it all seem real; to make her fall so hard and honestly allude that he would catch her. He'd been lying; a cheat; a royal scumbag, who'd only wanted to lock her up here to-_

_To what? To die slowly? To be found when the war was over? For Phobos' men to find? Basically waiting on a silver platter, with a bow wrapped around her?_

_She couldn't do anything. The girls were out there. If she used her powers they were done for.. She was stuck here, and Will felt tears prickle her eyes, as panic was quick to exude her. "CALEB! NO CALEB! PLEASE! I DIDN'T-"_

_Didn't what? She didn't understand. That was what. Why was he doing this? Why would he do this? How could he be so evil and determined, when he was stuttering away and she was certain he was.. He just looked like a boy. "I'm- I-I'm so sorry Will.. So s-sorry.."_

"CALEB!" Will sat up, desperately heaving breat- Wait, no, Cornelia shook her head, pulling her quilt closer as a tune that had been playing echoed around the room; her final shout stirring no one in this lively house, though her eyes wandered to the weight on her bed and Lillian smirked, stroking their newest pet, Napoleon.

"Were you having a sex dream? You were breathing all funny, and you kept moaning for this guy, Cale-"

"WHAT! How do you even know about those! NO! I wasn't!" Cornelia scowled, forcing herself out of her bed. Stupid kids.. They didn't understand! She was nearly sixteen, for Gods sake! And she...she hadn't even been in the dream.. Maybe she wanted.. Cornelia shook her head. She wasn't Will. She wouldn't want to be, Cornelia shivered, as the cold of metal burned her wrists.. "What are you doing in my room anyway!"

**...**

Will sat, watching as her clock flashed.. One minute closer to the radio-alarm fizzling in. One minute closer to the time she had to get up. One minute closer to school.

One minute closer to Caleb.

Will hadn't slept last night; ignoring the cooing voice that told her to. For whatever reason, perhaps the well knowing of the fears she lived in the night.. Will hadn't slept last night, and she sat, watching as her clock flashed..

One minute closer to Fadden Hills, because her mother was tired of feeling like she could lose Will at any second. Tired of feeling like she was about to lose the _only _person she loved, unconditionally.

Will could understand.

It did suck.


	2. Chapter 2

_Caleb frowned, as Will stared at the ground in front of her; reaching the table and hesitating, before the tray clattered onto the table between them and she slid into her seat, muttering a curse that no one could hear, before glancing up - at the girls rather than him - and force a slightest smile. "S-sorry."_

_**Don't you say that to them! **Caleb jumped when a woman's voice echoed around the table, though no one seemed to react and he forced his eyes downward to the mush of potatoes on his plate; the pile of tiny green peas, which he had always been suspicious about, and-_

_"Sor-ry.." Caleb found his eyes darting up to the water flooding the table, then swallowed when his eyes met swirling brown; he faintly recalled that when he'd met her, she'd smell like they looked, and he felt a flicker of a smile he bit away as she stood above them and stuttered.. "Sorry.."_

_"Cinnamo- Uh, I should've had a cinnamon swirl." He cursed himself as five sets of eyes darted to him, and hers flew down, feeling to add an inadequate explanation. "I hate mash."_

_"No you don't. Uh-" He found himself swallowing, hoping to rid himself of the contrast of his cheeks, as Will flushed only more and sat down again. She didn't seem to know where she was going. She had forgotten the mess of water that continued to spread._

__**_Silly witch! Clean it up! Don't even look at them! Don't even talk to them! Filthy sluts and he's not even a bastard! He's nothing! You don't want them! Disgusting!_**

**__**_"Hey!" He didn't care, as they all stared inquisitively.. Trying to find the source, and he couldn't tell.. Where was it coming from.. Who was it speaking to.._

_**Will!**_

_"Will?"_

_"Huh?"_

__"Hear what?" Caleb opened his eyes, finding playful greys staring back at him, and he jumped back until he remembered that Elyon was from Earth. She wouldn't scold him for the fact that other than underwear, he'd gone naked to bed. There was no point in wearing anything more and forcing discomfort. "You said _'Don't you hear that?'_."

"Don't try to imitate my voice. I was dreaming."

"About Will. I know."

At that, Caleb sat; flushing a little, when she sat on his bed. She wasn't even meant to be in here, and he knew that Julian would only berate if she was hiding from duty, and got caught in his room.. "What? How long have you been in here!"

"How long have you been in here, your Highness."

"All night, I sleep here it's my- You're royalty! You're not meant to be acting like this!" He winced as she shot him a scowl, not giving him his cover-sheets, and simply sticking out her tongue instead. Caleb sighed, wondering if he'd ever be without a childish brat-_ teenager _waking him up. "Alright, how long have you been cowering from your duty, in my humble bedroom, probably getting me into enough trouble if we are found by Julian, never mind if it is Trill or the likes who will assume I am taking advanta-ahh.. Your Highness."

"You realize how stupid that sounded?"

"No, I realized that.."

**...**

_We're practically related._ The words had droned out of Caleb, and Elyon bit her lip and felt her entire body freezing, though he didn't seem to notice as her eyes drew over the bridge of his nose and.. And suddenly she didn't feel very well, at the thought that he could so simply wrinkle his nose. He didn't know anything about anything, and she ignored his semi-humoured babble as she left without turning back.


	3. Chapter 3

Hay Lin had decided to wait, but when the first bell sounded for her math lesson, she found herself clutching Irma's arm, if only for support on her wobbly legs as the brunette yawned. "Irma, I had a nightmare last night.. Someo-"

"You too!" Taranee pushed beside them, and Hay Lin blinked through heavy eyelids. Someone else had been there; someone else was always there. That was what was whispered to her in her dreams, but she'd never truly thought it anything other than someone enjoying the same dream. She didn't know how it worked; lots of people dreamt about other people and she liked to think it went both ways.. But last night, she'd needed protecting, and she didn't know if her element would be as kind to her again.. It wasn't quite in her control..in dreams. "Me, _and _Irma had nightmares! Spideeers.."

Hay Lin smiled sympathetically at the girl shuddering as they manoeuvred through the halls. She wish that she could have had a dream like that; something that scared her, like bugs, or slugs, or critters.. She supposed her dreams weren't really the same - when she dreamt herself to be Elyon it was entirely new. Hay Lin always knew that she was dreaming, in white space with only the fresh air to play with, and occasionally butterflies and birds would flutter to ride the breeze.. She hadn't even needed to be a guardian. They were always there, but Hay Lin blinked again as Irma blew through her thoughts, "..tell Will, she's nuts! Whacko! I say we go straight to Cornelia."

"And have Will jump her again?" Hay Lin blushed under Taranee's instant reaction to frown, but it was true! And Irma said that Will deserved every cold look they gave her, and Hay Lin could feel something else telling her that Will needed to be left alone. The girl could handle this herself, and it wasn't they're business to bother whatever was going on around her. That was part of the reason she hated when her Grandmother asked her to pass messages. "Sorry, but she did!"

"Look, will you just quit it! Cornelia already told me they made up!"

"Doesn't mean I have!"

"Irma, will you just quit being a baby! What has Will ever done to you?"

"She savagely _attacked _my best friend!"

"You didn't complain when she threw milk over Uriah."

"Yeah, but that was funny."

"That was so funny!"

"Shush, Hay Lin!" Hay Lin scowled as Irma raised her hand, though clearly only because they had reached the classroom and she smiled widely as the teacher watched them treck to the back. "And I mean, Corny's powers.."

_'Sorry, but my powers! I think I accidentally caught you daydreaming about Choco's the other day, Irma!' _Hay Lin found herself standing to attention, before she turned to find Irma gaping as much at Taranee; who's voice had echoed round their head. "I don't think I'm meant to be able to do this.."

"What!" Hay Lin flashed another smile at the teacher, who raised an eyebrow at her whispering friends. "Why haven't you told anyone! How long have you been a..a...mind reader, talker..thing!"

_'Just for about a week maybe..'_

"AH! Stop doing that!" Hay Lin smirked as the teacher sauntered closer, some part of her wanting to nudge Irma, but it was too funny. "You get your mind out of my head! Is that how you passed the test last week?"

_'I'm not a cheater!'_

"Irma.."

"You! Shush!" Hay Lin squeaked when the palm hit her mouth, Irma's scowl only increasing as Hay Lin saw the Meridian woman smile. She would never look at that face again, without seeing green, she swore. "Taranee is just a ventriloquist! I ridiculously good ventriloquist!"

"Mmnghmm!"

_'Hey! You can make people do things?'_

"No! I have normal powers! Normal, super p-"

"Powers?" Hay Lin smiled as Irma froze, grinning awkwardly as Mrs Rudolph only rolled her eyes and began walking away. "I hope they're super _math _powers.."

"Oh suuure.."

_'And if you cheat, I am not above putting telepathy-abuse on your report card, Irma Lair.'_

"Did she just-!" Hay Lin felt her wide eyes and smile glued to Mrs Rudolph's back, as Irma opened and closed her mouth repeatedly. She had used it too! "Did she just _sass _me!"

"I didn't hear her say anything!"

"Funny, Hay Lin, funny."

**...**

Will could only stare at the ground, feeling her heart beat quickening at the simple thought of even bothering, only drumming faster when she hesitated; feeling Caleb's eyes on her as swallowed, pushing the tray- Will winced, cursing as it clattered to the table and her eyes darted to the accusatory deep blue of Irma's, and generally staring pairs of the rest of the girls. She wasn't meant to be here, she already knew, but Will had only shook him away when Matt feigned some sort of complete unknowing as to what he'd done.. "S-sorry!"

"_Don't you say that to them!_" Will didn't let herself react, biting down a tiny cry of anguish because it was all wrong! She didn't want to listen anymore, and it was all wrong! She didn't want to move, and she didn't want Matt to come near her, and she wish she could say it, but it was trapped because everyone hated her anyway.. And she would never be able to stay here.. Her mother would just send her away; to some crazy house, because this wasn't good! It wasn't lucky! The voice; it was lying, but she just wanted it to go away! It had ruined everything.

"Sor-ry.." Will's eyes had been fastened on the boy, staring down at his food, and she cursed herself at the water flooding the table. She met grassy eyes that almost smiled as they looked into her muddy brown, and Will flushed, frantically trying to think of whether she had any napkins, standing and stuttering to no one in particular. "..Sorry."

"Cinnamo- Uh, I should've had a cinnamon swirl." She forced her eyes down, feeling everyone's interest move to Caleb as he seemed to fluster slightly, finally ending up speaking quietly to the table around him. "I hate ma-ash."

"No you don't. Uh-" It had come out, before she'd had a chance to remember that she wasn't meant to know stuff like that anymore. He should have said peas, though; he'd always seemed suspicious about those.. Will sat as the reddish colour to her cheeks brightened. She didn't know where she was going. She had forgotten the mess of water that continued to spread.

"_Silly witch! Clean it up! Don't even look at them! Don't even talk to them! Filthy sluts and he's not even a bastard! He's nothing! You don't want them! Disgusting!_" Will saw something flashing in Caleb's eyes as though trying to remember something, before she startled at emerald suddenly grasping her forcefully.

"Did you hear something, just then?"

"What?" Dread seethed through her, wondering if he could have heard. It was all wrong! He wasn't meant to hear it! He'd know! He'd send her away! He'd- He'd have heard it too, so he wouldn't do any of those things, and Will opened her mouth to finally get it ou-

"No, never mind.. I just.. I had a dream that someone was saying something.. If you could hear it, I would, right?"

Again, Will felt herself shrinking, as he looked around to confirm he wasn't really only talking to her, and Will tugged her arms to hug herself slightly as Irma frowned. "Well, we've all been having nightmares, Rebel boy. Top that."

"You have?" Will felt something quarrel around her, as Cornelia flushed at her own question.. "I mean, yeah, I did too.. Isn't that weird, I mean-"

"I'm being sent away." Silence followed - as much as it could in the loud room - and Will found an inadequacy in herself as she stared down at the water she'd forgotten. "I'm.. Going back to Fadden Hills."

But Cornelia stood, in the middle of Irma's _good riddance_. "No way is that happening!"


	4. Chapter 4

Okay, am making it clear now... In no way is Caleb related to Nerissa.. I much prefer the comic-Nerissa, along with the fact that.. It's not only too big a coincidence, but eugh, it's too weird!

* * *

><p>"Uh.. Guys.." Will felt something of unease claw at her stomach, as Irma continued to glare at her and the others simply seemed to be watching, constantly. There was an immediate feeling of need, for Will to turn back; to hide awake for ever in her duvet with her dormouse. Not that he even wanted her. She wasn't even worth Matt's time, he only wanted her for.. But every time, Will's mind flew to Caleb. He'd never lied, that was what he'd said.. And some part of her, that didn't just want to collapse in a hopeless wreck, had really believed it. He really meant it; he'd really made a mistake. And she had fled him, fearful. She couldn't just be a baby anymore. "This is mom's executive assistant;<em> Amanda Bolind<em>."

"A pleasure!" It wasn't, Will knew. Everyone here had eyes on her since she'd screamed at head of office; she would have screamed at the boss had he been here and for whatever reason.. Will couldn't remember why she had. Will couldn't remember most things, anymore. She had just felt so _angry_. And this woman was scared of all things.. She was actually afraid.. "But, Will.. Your mom...she's gone for the day, Will.."

"I'm sure she's coming back!" Her smile fell as soon as the words had come out too fast and too brightly.. She didn't know how she'd gone so long without ruining everything.. Why anyone would think anything of her, because Will was a mess! She was messing things up! "I mean..uh..that's what she said."

"That is definitely what she said." Will held in a tiny noise when Irma pushed her forcefully out of the way, and she knew she should just go. There wasn't a point anymore and she knew Cornelia was only pitying her, when she whimpered at the blonde taking her arm and pulling her back the few feet she'd stumbled away. "I was there! We can just wait in your office!"

"S-sure, I guess.."

Will frowned, as Cornelia smiled and tapped her nose. It was working.. They were helping.. They.. "_Ungrateful little welt! You're making them do the dirty work!_"

"N-no!" Will froze, as everyone else did, and she felt her eyes darting over the scene, and- She didn't know what else to do; wrenching her arm from Cornelia's grip and forcing a scowl, "Don't.. Don't touch me."

**...**

"Do you think they'll fix it?"

"They have to fix it." Julian felt sober pity, as Caleb glowered down at the sheet of _homework _in front of him. It was more of a struggle, than anything, for Caleb to only say as much as he had _learnt_; the boy had a knack for writing a paragraph where he should only know a sentence, and it was lucky enough Elyon was in a higher class, as far as Julian could understand. Alborn had made sure she was in a higher peer group, but that didn't mean that there weren't three years between Caleb and Elyon as far as Earth was concerned. And if Caleb didn't want to be notice, the regular Adonis was going to have to play a little dumber. It was wretched that Caleb could read so well.. Not that there didn't seem to be some bigger issue. "She can't go.. Even Irma knows that."

"Who?" It was already on his face though, when Caleb's eyes flashed up from the thick table. It was distressing to think.. Elyon had already told him Caleb chose where Phobos had sat. The boy didn't even know, and Caleb would take it far more than a chair if enlightened. So everyone stayed quiet. And Elyon took to him anyway, so Julian supposed that little else mattered.

The Queen herself smiled sombrely, having been making a gesture too late to tell him not to inquire; she was a sweet child, as far as he knew her. He was glad to think she had inherited her mother's traits; her kindness along with youth would be the hope Meridian, and those across the Metaworld needed, just to survive. "Ah, Will's mom is trying to move her away."

Julian frowned, when a boy who wasn't supposed to be present choked at that. Aldarn had better things to be doing, but Julian said nothing when Caleb let his head fall against the table, before he pushed himself up and hastily left. "Caleb! Wait! We're not done!"

"Tha to teleióso argótera, Megaleiótate.."

"He'll finish it later, he says.. At least he called you Your Majesty this time."

"Yeah... At least..."


	5. Chapter 5

"I'm trying to sleep." Caleb had known it too much, to expect for Julian not to follow him. It wasn't any of their faults, but he wasn't lying. There had been an awful familiarity, in every move Will made. He'd found himself playing off a scripting, and he was sure that he'd known somehow what had happened at lunch. The answer was there; something out of his reaches.. And he was sure that the key was in his dreams, Caleb didn't know why. It wouldn't be the first time, that a dream about Will had led to the future.. He just wish he'd known why she'd be screaming when he'd dreamt it. And now, Caleb knew he had to sleep. "I'm sorry about Elyon."

"I'm sorry about your agápi."

"She loved me back, Julian.." Caleb doubted the man was going anywhere anyway, and the words echoed around his mind. He wanted to thrash, screaming that it wasn't fair for things to be so.. But it was exactly fair, and exactly right. It wasn't fair that he hadn't loved her properly. "She told me.. She told me a few days ago. She loved me back, and I don't think she cared what I was."

"I doubt she would." Caleb swallowed, listening to the man taking pace around him. Caleb knew that Julian had been elated, when he'd chosen to make him his name. Julian didn't much have one, and no one really did, but it meant something anyway because it was probably what the man needed to know that it was okay. That Caleb couldn't see more than a mistake in the why Julian had done it. After all, he was everything Caleb had. There was a calmness too - Caleb had long forgotten to listen to Julian's pace, but since school they talked all the time, or at least, Caleb listened. "After all, you'd been steering clear as far as I know."

"I don't like women."

"Believe us, we know. We knew." Caleb smiled at that; he knew exactly how much they knew, and he'd not talked to Aldarn for a week to prove his disgust for what they might've thought about him.. "You know, I had awful taste in women."

"I don't think you're meant to say that about the-"

"No, not her. I had horrible taste, until I met my wife. I fell in love with every face I liked, and Aldarn had better watch because he does the same." Perhaps there was some comfort, that Caleb was yet to find, because he didn't know what he was meant to say anymore. He didn't know what he was meant to do, because it hurt to be there when she was. It hurt even more when he wasn't. "But I think Drake has it lucky that he has someone to look after, and I'm sure someone'll do the same good to Aldarn. Caleb, I'm still here."

"But my Will isn't dead!"

"She's gone, Caleb. You can only be better and hope to find someone as good, Caleb, if she's gone."

"She isn't gone yet."

"Caleb, you're first love is always perfect until you meet your second one." Caleb bit his tongue at that, because he'd not been told by anyone.. What if he didn't want another one? Because that was stupid. Will wasn't perfect. She was stupid and silly and loud and messy and.. And he didn't want anyone else.

"She's not perfect, ton Julian.. But I didn't choose anyone else because I like her best."

**...**

"You know, I just love working for your mother.." Cornelia scowled as Irma glowered at the floor, wishing that the girl could just deal with herself for a little while, because Will needed them, and the brunette just made it worse. And Cornelia's eyes fell on the red-head's fingers reaching where her own hand had been.. It was like Will was trying so hard, and then she.. And then something just happened and she was saying something horrible again.

_'Alright, everybody! We need to split up and find hiding places!' _Cornelia's eyes widened, along with Irma's, but she was instantly distracted by Will squeaking in shock and slapping her hand to her mouth when the _Amanda something _looked up. It was as though Taranee hadn't told them, and she didn't know what to do.. Because Will seemed to physically squirm at the sound of Taranee's voice echoing around their heads.

"Um, excuse me!" An idea struck then, and Cornelia knew that Irma was bound to be the worst so she clutched the girl's wrist and beamed at the assistant. "Where's the ladies room exactly?"

She felt something stir as the woman told her where it was and Cornelia let the words evaporate at her ears as she studied Will's figure, wondering if maybe she'd chosen the wrong _partner_.. There wasn't any time though, and she pulled Irma out as she left to _Amanda_'s string of _'but'_s. "Um, Amanda.."


	6. Chapter 6

"Oh, Mr McGruder would say the key skills are direction and judgement, but I think that people don't put enough flare on the importance of telephone skills.. If your mother didn't hav.." Taranee Cook frowned, as Will squirmed again and the African-American felt her head pound with an echo of something unreadable.. There was something about Will, that she couldn't read like everyone else, and the fact only made her further agree that Cornelia had trusted too quickly. It was hard to think, that she honestly felt that way about a girl who'd quickly become the best of all her friends, but Will had changed. And there was something wrong with the pounding in Taranee's head; the echo of thought.. _-girls can do the dirty work and- _"..I mean, of course I'm not saying anything about your mother! It was the silly man, _Steve_.."

"Huh?" Taranee covered herself with a cough as the woman's eyes shot to her, accusingly, seen as she'd obviously interrupted some interesting gossip, but.. Was that what Will was really thinking? It wasn't in Will's voice, but usually there weren't voices anyway unless they were talking to her and- They were just here to do the hard part, and Will got to stay here with her boyfriend? Was that really all they were? Taranee felt her anger rising as she seethed. How dare they be treated like this! It wasn't fair! She almost felt like telling everyone exactly what was what, but she knew it was their duty anyway. It was _w.i.t.c.h._'s duty to stay together and Taranee blew smoke as the coffee bubbled under her literally heated glare.. Well, she couldn't risk setting Will on fire, and it proved useful anyway when the woman got up.

"My gosh! Oh! Wow! I- Wait here and I'll get a sponge! I don't know what happ.." Taranee grabbed Hay Lin's wrist the moment the woman's voice was gone completely, and she pulled her along until Hay Lin said she'd go the other way.

**...**

"Move over!" Cornelia Hale shifted in the filthy cleaning room, and Irma figured that it served the girl right for being as vapid as to take _Will_'s side on this! _Will's_! As if the girl hadn't jumped Cornelia, right in front of them! She wasn't Will anymore, and Cornelia needed to face the facts! Everyone needed to face the facts, and Irma only stuck out her tongue.

"You should love dirt, it's your thing."

"This isn't even dirt! It's just..dusty in here!"

**...**

****"Uh, helloo.." Will bit back the bile on her tongue as the ghost of Taranee's voice echoed around her mind; mixing and interchanging with the other, and making her vision swirl as a dizziness overrode her, but she knew the woman was looking at her and she forced a smile at the outline blur, "Y'know.. I think I did, uh, mix up the.. I'm just gonna go home.."

"Are you sure? You look a bit-" Will slammed the door behind her, clenching her jaw as she stumbled left into the first cupboard she found and-

"Wow! You okay!" Will blinked; staring down at the cleaning fluid that seemed to be coating the best part of her where she'd fallen. Hay Lin giggling a little nervously as she picked her up. "Sorry! You probably didn't want me in here, right.. And that was an accident I had, I, uh.."

"Hay Lin, it's fine.. Can we just sit down..?" The girl sat, obediently - almost scarily so - and Will swallowed, pushing herself behind some boxes and ignoring the itch that was already setting in from being effectively doused in floor cleaner. It only took moments, for Will to close her eyes.. She couldn't take Hay Lin staring at her like this, in the dark. "I'm sorry if I snap at yo-"

"_You__'re only sorry you've had to put up with her, and you could crush her now, you know! While the others do your dirty work, you could step on the weak chain like a bug.. Why listen to her? Why listen to this so-called frie-_" Will shook it away and pushed herself forward; a feeling of sober repentance running through her, because she was sure that it was wrong.. They didn't like her, because she was this.. She was hateful and angry and ugly and stupid and messy and.. And it'd only made her worse to listen to whatever was in her head. "_Don't listen to her!_"

"You know.. Maybe you shouldn't be making us do this.." Will's eyes flashed up at that, Hay Lin threading her fingers together uneasily, "Maybe it'd be better if you just went away.. If you just stopped pretending you care, because I don't like it when you're here.. No one is happy anymore, and everyone knows it's because of you.. I'm sorry, but-"

**...**

"Just shut up!" Hay Lin blinked, and backed away as Will glared at her, and she wasn't sure what she'd said.. But something inside her told her it was because Will wanted to go. Will didn't want to be here, and it wasn't their place to stop her.. That was it. She could feel it; that was exactly what was wrong, and they were ruining it for her.


	7. Chapter 7

The night had slowly crept upon them, and the chill of an unsteady breeze filled the air. A child watching those who ought to be his peers, the Oracle of Time itself watched expressionless, and Tibor could only interpret that a fear was upon them, for the trill that carried along the air was unmistakable. Unmistakable, and yet the sombre eyes of their Will only raised almost tearfully when the guardian of air whimpered before her. "We should have known.."

**_I could not foresee it.._ **And yet the Oracle's inner voice seemed steady, the worry little as his eyelids remained closed, his face placid and raising in the space of Infinity. **_Thus, we shall not blame ourselves.._**

"The child, she has been ill!"

A smile then graced the features of Himerish. A child so young holding wisdom, Tibor could feel the congregation around them bowing their heads, as the young boy's eyes opened; a light heartedness carried within him. The smile was in no way more than that of a calmness; a joy. **_There isn't a proof Nerissa has come to her. We shall not bow our heads in shame until my vision is clear; not until, we know we have been wronged._**

"How long will it take, Oracle?" Tibor felt the earnesty waver in Althor's trembled question. The entirety of Kandrakar rained in a gloom to disclose their grave mistake. The Oracle's grave mistake. Himerish was getting old, for a child so seamlessly young.

**_It will come.._**Tibor swallowed in shame, for almost questioning himself at the sight of her trembling lips. The girl, who hugged herself closely, as the night took the others into their dreams of an ex-guardian. Nerissa's trill played cleanly, but the poor child couldn't seem to hear it. _**We only need for her to..dream.**_

**...**

_Irma found herself in the midst of something of a dungeon, though when she frowned and looked closer she noticed the faintest, greenish glow;  
>the smell of dread filling the place, before that of a sickly perfume did instead. "Irma! W-what are you doing here?"<em>

_"What?" Irma turned to face Wi- No, she frowned, it was Cornelia she was facing, suddenly blushing furiously as the brunette's eyes wandered over the  
>silent scene.. "Is this your nightmare? Being trapped in a dungeon? Because, if you ask me, it's a bit un-'classy'. I was expecting wardrobe malfunction or- Ohh.."<em>

_"Will.." Irma frowned as the boy's eyes rested on Cornelia.. Caleb looked a state and he only seemed to stare at her,  
>while Cornelia became glued to his strong green eyes.. "..Will.."<br>_

_He couldn't seem to keep his eyes off of her, and Irma frowned at Corne- She frowned at Will as concern rang out for him in her eyes; the guardian  
>form of her friend seeming to be almost hurt by his pain, a sadness weaving through as Will raised a timid hand to him.. "Oh, God.. Caleb..<br>_

_It was funny, and Irma felt more intruded than intruder, as Cornelia's voice echoed through the room and she looked back as Caleb forwarded to the blonde.  
>"You have got to be kidding me, right? I thought you said you were having nightmares!"<em>

_The blonde grimaced, and Caleb seemed to halt when Cornelia glared back at Irma. "You don't get it, it's not my-"  
><em>

**...  
><strong>

Will felt the icy chill of the slightest breeze around her, and she supposed that it must've come from Hay Lin.. The girl that didn't want her anyway.. Will reached out to awaken the whimpering girl, who's long hair splayed out whenever she tossed and turned.. "_Don_'_t you touch her! You only want to hurt her!_"

Her hand shrank back, as the voices filled her mind. "_..Tick, tock, tick, tock_.._"_

".._Hmmm..hmmm..hmmm.._" She didn't want to be here anymore.. She didn't want to hear this anymore, as the voices echoed around her. "_..hmmm..hmmm..hmmm.._"

"_Ring ring! Ring ring!_" Will shook, as in silence she raised her hands to her ears.. The _'FIRE EXIT' _light visibly shining, in the small pane of window above the door. For months, Will Vandom had been wishing off her silence - or at least the faint buzz that had become a silence for her - begging in her mind not to be left alone with the endless nothing that left only a hollowness to her; a time of contemplation to realize all that she had actually _done_. "_Ring ring! Ring ring!_"

Now there was nothing she wished for more, but _nothing _itself.

"_You keep your filthy hands off of her! You disgusting witch!_" Tears ran silently down her face, and her voice cracked on the first attempt to speak; the dirty sound echoing around the Hay Lin whose whimper alone was more charismatic. She wanted the nightmares. She wanted the war. She wanted anything, and she'd even give for Lord Cedric and Phobos right now. "_You bitch, you stay away from her!_"

"I..I want to go home.."

**...**

****_Taranee felt bile rising, as the beast started to drench her; their bodies tickling over her as she shivered in repulsion to their presence on her skin.  
>"Get off me! Get off me!"<em>

They only seemed to cloak her further, so that dark skin became blackened by them; there was no space and she screamed as the pulled her to her knees with the sheer weight of their bodies, lingering on hers; taking over; drowning out her ability to move, as one spider warped and changed as she was sure she had once caught amidst the battle of Phobos..

"You don't have a chance, guardian."

"Please! Get them off!"

"You forget that I'm one of them.. Just let the dream take you over.."

"PLEASE!"

"..Just let your existence fade to Infinity. I'm sure that Kandrakar has room, for survivors!"


	8. Chapter 8

_Something had changed; glitched, because she was sure there was meant to be more. She was sure she wasn't supposed to be herself, but then the chains were around her, and Cornelia's face fell in shock, and this time, Caleb didn't say he was sorry, if he'd even clasped the shackles round her wrists at all as Irma's eyes widened, "Oh god! That's not good! Do I have to put those on?"_

"_Uh.. I don't know what's happening! This isn't how my dream goes!" Cornelia pulled away from the binding metal and she could still feel the panic; adrenaline; pure raging fear mixing into her blood and pumping through veins, "JUST GET ME OUT! CALEB! IRMA, PLEASE! GET ME OUT!"_

_The brunette only stared with a slight humor for moments, until realization kicked in and Cornelia could feel her breathing becoming shallow; eradicated by every moment.. "Okay, okay! Sheesh, you'd think I'd chained you up, and what're you scared of anyway, blondie? Caleb's tears? I think it's a beautiful nightmare and all, but are you really jealous enough of Will to dream you are her? Seriously? That brat? I think Caleb's starti-"_

_At that point something of a laugh filled the room, as Cornelia felt one of her wrists being freed and she latched it round Irma's neck.._

_This wasn't her dream.. It wasn't._

"_St-top laughing-g, Irma."_

"_You think my laugh sounds like that? No my laugh's more of a-" The girl sucked in to do an impression, but stopped as Cornelia shivered. "Wait.. Who is laughing?"_

"_That would be me."_

_Sets of blue eyes swam around the room, finding and locking on to the tall figure, wearing a helmet, which he removed to bow as if there wasn't a malicious grin over his features, Irma's fingers fiddling faster with the metal cuff around Cornelia's wrist._

_And that tune. That tune just kept playing._

"_Raythor, if you've forgotten. Vathek certainly hasn't, but I wouldn't bother planning any way to save him.. You cease to exist.. Tonight."_

**…**

_The wind could not have helped her, Hay Lin realized as a sandstorm slowly formed a man. The sandman's gaping smile slightly angled as his unfeatured hands grew to wrap around her; creating a thick wall that her element no longer felt obliged to help.._

_The wind had deserted her._

_All that was left was a desert man._

"_Please.. P-please, get out of my dream.."_

**…**

_Taranee had slipped._

_Had fallen._

_Could feel them piercing her skin as she dropped into oblivion, as the spider-girl's face stared down almost earnestly._

"_If you let go, you'll be lost forever."_

_Taranee reached out and she didn't let go._

"_This isn't just a dream." The words were carried along a tune that sang itself throughout.. "You will cease to exist. There isn't a door."_

_A door._

_..A door.._

"_I'm opening the door! This is my dream and I'm opening the door!"_

"_This isn't your dream anymore.."_

"_THIS IS MY DREAM AND I'M-"_

Taranee gasped for the cool air, as the strong scent of cleaning fluids took her senses, and she remembered where exactly she was; exactly what information she'd been given in the dream that almost seemed vital. '_Guys? Can anyone hear me?_'

**…**

Will had held her breath, squeezing her eyes together to reply, when the feeling of fingers pressing against the area of her temples became evident, and her eyes opened, knowing that it wasn't real, and that she was fooling herself, and.. "_Uh-uh.. No one can hear her, Will.._"

"No one can hear her?" An anxiety started to bubble, as Will's eyes flashed over the girl who'd ceased to whimper…ceased to breathe..? No. Will tried to shake her head, but there was that clutch again; that feeling of someone holding against her head.

Tighter..

Tighter..

'_WAKE UP!_'

"_No one.._"

"AAGH!"

**…**

"Will?" Hay Lin had woken with a start to find the girl clutching at her temples, and the small black eyes averted their gaze from the red scratches of fingernails that Will must've made. It wasn't her place, to look at them. To ask how they went upwards, rather than down. "B-bad, nightmare?"

The girl only stared at her though; eyes like black coffee in the twilight, a greenish color shining in from the Fire Exit sign outside the door. "Can we just go, Hay Lin?"

"S-sure.."


	9. Chapter 9

Nerissa could only still, tensed, for the long moments that it took for her to access that dark rat; accompliced by a spider no less. The thick skinned fire-girl, whome had already began piecing together an idea as if the black spot could honestly _think_. Slightest pucker of lips pressed into a smile, there was no matter; nothing of trouble..

"Miranda.." The woman smirked at the tense of Miranda at the cooing silky voice, or perhaps it was her nails dragging down, caressing over the slim white of Miranda's shoulder - the girl was sickly thin.. A youth. A young girl perhaps nearing four or fifteen as far as Nerissa could tell. She'd started to look older, but Miranda.. "Oh, you are almost a pretty child.. It's a shame.. See, the little dark girl seems to have a lot of information for a-"

"A- I was nervous."

Nerissa clenched her nails into the skin; an incandescent bloom of white rose.. It was funny, how Miranda might resemble the delicate flower. A humble blossom of rarity, but an ugly wilt to her other form revealled the true nature, for Nerissa was no fool and Miranda was surely as black as a spider. Innocence was the main state of perpetual haughtiness: Miranda was a fraud, and an awful one at that. But, if Miranda wanted to play the part of fear.. Nerissa would not oblige her fear, but a sweet tone. "Don't be nervous, what have you to be afraid of? Haha! ..Almost a pretty thing, aren't you."

**...**

"These dreams are _not _normal!" Irma didn't take her eyes from the redhead, because Hay Lin had told her; Will had scared her. Perhaps not the wording used, but it was in that Hay Lin had taken a new pale and ocean blue sought coppery brass in slits. The brunette's eyes drew down the placid features; Will seemed to carry a sickened tone, in the slight jaundice and brush of soot beneath her eyes. And when Will met her, the girl only swallowed and ventured to stare at the floor again.

"Y-yeah. Duh." Irma bit down a guffaw of sardonic laughter; planning to heartily acknowledge Will's quiet input, but Cornelia's icy glare stuck fast to her and Irma snarled. It wasn't her fault; the bitch was paranoid, and Will had obviously done something!

"Amanda says transfer requests go straight to the big boss, so you four go there." Irma's eyes shot to Taranee at that. It was not their job to do this! Who cared if Will left, she didn't do anything anyway, and Irma would rather it to walk around not having to watch her own back for redheads.

"Oh, you've got something _better _to do?" Cornelia's tone alone was give away for the fact that Taranee wasn't getting to play rebel today. Irma knew, because the blonde had taken _her _kicking and screaming. She was surprised, that Cornelia could pretend to be self righteous when she was all of sucking Caleb's face off when they weren't looking. It was obvious!

"I'm doing research. These dreams are obviously connected!"

**...**

The slight rouging pink of Miranda's lips quivered, and violet eyes followed the woman walking away as much as she could past the blur of brimmed tears. Almost. She wish that she'd never left; she wanted to go home and she knew that Nerissa believed her to be much younger than she was because Miranda could pretend. She could pretend that she'd never even kissed a boy and she could smile like the serpent hadn't stolen everything! And.. And she wish she had told Prince Phobos she wanted him to marry her, because he couldn't, but- He wouldn't. No one really cared, though Phobos had tried, and his Cale- His _murmurer _had spat on Phobos' efforts with a lie like everyone else had. At least Phobos was honest! A wash of something ugly - resembling her second form - welled within her and Miranda couldn't stop it. "Why would you say that? You're just some woman jealous of an ugly redhea-"

Miranda blanched, and jumped back with an inhale of fear the moment the woman disappeared and reappeared directly in front of her. In that moment when a knife Nerissa hadn't been carrying pushed slightly against her cheekbone, but not enough to puncture the skin. And then the knife drew down along her jawline to her neck; every motion had to be controlled, as far as Nerissa saw, but Miranda knew the woman couldn't see her own eyes like fiery hatred. "_Just _a woman? My dear heart, I've been practising my tricks..do you like them? I'm not jealous, sweet girl.. Wilhelmina is.. The babe doesn't even know who these people think she is! Magic! The girl is stealing powers; faking that she belongs there. I'm merely doing my duty as keeper of the Heart, securing my-"

The woman stopped at that, and Miranda swallowed carefully.. Keeper of the.. Stealing.. Suddenly Miranda's eyes flashed up and she knew she was the one who knew too much now.. But Nerissa only forced her lips to purse into what the woman considered a smile. She obviously hadn't seen a real smile in her life, because his was much- Miranda swallowed at something she didn't know was there until she'd thought it, and pushed away a rarity who'd called her rare.

And Nerissa merely pat her cheek, "Almost something, aren't you."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter two TT.. I hope you get this to wake up to at least ^^

* * *

><p>Will's fingers clenched, mussing the sheet of forms with wrinkles, but she stared blankly forward pretending mybe to be actually looking at something because she could feel Cornelia's firm glaze like ice and fire and- And everything ran through her head; a building of constant chatter; of rings, of hums, of buzzing tones and male voices and gruff and polite and compliant and complaints and.. And then there was always.. "<em>It's funny, like she's almost controlling you.. You don't even want to stay, do you? No one wants you to stay.<em>"

Will knew in that moment, that all eyes were on her but she could only note the frustration; the hiss that joined this woman's words. So she asked what she needed, "Will you stay?"

"_What? Of course not! Dear little heart I'm going with y-_" The paper tore and Will felt her knees wanting to give. Something jolted; stuck, her heart stopping inside of her.. Because there was silence. Silence true to the word.

"_Rin__g ring! Ring Ring!_"

"_Bzzzzzz..Bzzzzzz..B_zzzzzz.."

"I guess everything is fixed, right?" Will bit her lip and blinked back tears as Cornelia's smile tried to surface, but Will couldn't seem to hear her under the rampage of what she had to discovered to be..everything. The lights themselves gave out a shrill cry, and the phones begged in tiresome state, and the entire office of hundreds upon hundreds of _things _seemed dazzled with the life of a bustling centre, despite that everyone had gone home. It was the dead of night, and everyone was screaming. And she couldn't bare to even smile as Cornelia pushed her arm to link, as if she really wanted her here at all. "All that's left is brain box, and Taranee text me-"

"I know- I mean.. I saw you reading.."

The obvious tone of unhappiness rang truer than Will might want on another day, but there was the underlying question of whether she had made a mistake. Had she ruined any chance, because it was too late because she was already dying, but now they were all dying too.. And she had forgotten that Taranee had gone. Gone to catch her out, because it was her fault. She hadn't slept at all and then.. And she had told Hay Lin that she had. "_You insufferable.. Will.. Remember to wish your friends sweet dreams._"

"I didn't have a dream." It spat out before she could stop it, and staring eyes pierced her, whilst a voice that wasn't there screamed above all others.

**...**

"I had a dream.." Caleb could feel the poor man drifting, out of the lethargic quality of staying in one place for so long. Julian was used to moving, and Caleb's mind whirred like a hundred thousand cogs in that second. "And then, it happened."

The tired sigh rinsed around the room, and Caleb begged for this man to go on forever until he was asleep. He hadn't meant to fight when Julian had spoken, but there was no advice good enough, if it every directed from Will.. It was in the sigh that Julian's patience - something Aketon had more of, but Julian had paired it with adoration enough that Caleb once hated him - wore thin of Caleb choosing the subject. "The little spider went missing. I forgot to mention, from when Drake had started feeling better."

"She's a metamorphose, not a spider." Caleb frowned at the accusation, but more at the information he was being presented with because he hadn't wanted her to be locked away. And Elyon didn't seem to understand; to know what he was talking about, or maybe she was pretending because he never got her name. "You wouldn't want me to call you a little boy."

"There is a difference." Julian seemed to be smiling, and Caleb frowned as the darkening room made finding his face slightly harder. He thought it was a joke, and Caleb could only glare because Julian would hate a scowl. "I am a man. She _is _a spider."

"She isn't!" Caleb sat up and withheld nothing, because Julian was not a taunter, nor a disrespectful, but he was being rude now and Caleb didn't understand why it was funny that he noticed that fact. "In a day when you prove less ignorance than she-"

"A child?"

"A _woman_." Caleb could recall that the little woman had been proud; thrusting each word out with more bitterness because she thought he was insulting her, but Julian now _was_. "And do not forget that I was only a boy and Will is only a girl. Will is very much smarter than you."

"Caleb."

"Aldarn is smarter than you, and even Drake and Drake can hardly-"

"Caleb!" Caleb stopped at that, holding a breath for moments before releasing it slowly, because he knew he'd pushed the subject away. He didn't want them to catch her. "Spider or not, she is missing from our prisons and she is fighting with the enemy."

"Of course she is." A lump hit his throat and he wondered if Julian was going to let it go.. But he was hoping for Caleb to know something; this girl was far more new and shiny than before he had gone. She wasn't _in _his memories that were Phobos'. He knew already. "I think she was his betrothed."

"His?"

"She would have been the Queen of Meridian."

Caleb didn't care if the little woman claimed that she wasn't.


	11. Chapter 11

"Brain." A whisper of a smile fell over Hay Lin's lips, as Irma nodded greeting to Taranee; who's dark braid of beads gently rattled against one another.. But the ice on the breeze made her shiver, and Hay Lin wondered if it would last the entirety of the Springtime - perhaps another snow falling. Though, she doubted the never failing warmth would miss it's chance to flower and create the Heatherfield blooms.. Not that snow didn't annually caress the town's pinking cheeks, simply that Heatherfield as a whole tended to be big on time keeping and _punctuality_.

The ice merely blistered past her own face, which was warmed only by the glow of paranoia; the glint radiating from Will's eyes.. Hay Lin had always favoured herself for reading people, but she supposed she had already failed in Caleb, who desperately surprised her with his every move and emotion now. Staring into mist-less mocha, Hay Lin almost tempted herself to say she had found a fear; her reflection, perhaps, because Will had a knack for the uncaring. How long had Will watched her sleeping? "Someone is infiltrating our dreams; attacking us in our sleep."

Hay Lin cut off from listening, then. She could not hear, for the air had frozen, placid, around her. Will Vandom didn't bother to hide her face; the hard features stoic, so that any representation of the emotion she no longer carried was lost too - the eyes were Will's only betrayer, and Will was the only betrayer of them. A dark foreboding instantly flashed in direction to her: Will silently staring right back at Hay Lin. And something begged her on the wind; Hay Lin shook slightly as the trill of sound tinkled around her; the noise that had eroded her dreams clouding her mind to clarity. Stop it dead. '_Please.._'

Control over her lungs became paralytic, as the air itself begged her not to listen; some foul wrongdoing could not be solved in the way the tune was begging her, and the thought only clarified further. For every howl of the wind, the music it carried became a banging drum, that wished for her not to trip.

How easy would it be to pull the air out of Will Vandom's lungs?

"Hay?" Hay Lin frowned and stumbled, as a thin hit against her arm followed, but Irma only grinned, trying to ignore her eyes watching. Her. Will had done it. Will had been awake and everyone knew. The trill hadn't done it's job though, if this song had been written to scare her? It didn't scare her anymore, because it only sang out to her, what everyone knew. "We're going to sleep at Will's to get rid of our nightmares or somethi-"

"Was no one listening to me?"

"Ignore her, you okay?"

Will needed to go. Will couldn't stay.

**...**

Will was merely a nuisance that needed to be dealt with. "_Don't you see.._"

Nerissa could only breathe in the depth of the little guardian; the little gust of wind who _'wasn't__' _afraid. It was startling, to know that such an insolent child; a fragile chest that could so easily shatter, was to be infiltrated without need to fear the wind. Little Hay Lin had got the message wrong. Nerissa had been pulling her closer almost as long as Will.. And now.. She was on the brink of doing her work _for _her. "Don't _you _see..?"

"_See what, Hay Lin? Just ignore Will, she's a spoilt selfish-_" Lust had bitten, clenching for Nerissa's bones; begging that the child would do her worst, if only for Kandrakar could see what a mistake it had made, the Heart simply falling to the floor and refusing anyone's touch but.. But what did Nerissa get out of that? The Council of elders would brush it away; lock it in a mountain somewhere that no one could see their mistakes or.. Or the mistakes they created, because the only mistake was calling Nerissa more than selfish. She refused to give them, what they only used for frivolity. Surely the Oracle only hosted a party of murderers! Watching, and knowing the crimes! Watching the little Hay Lin being dragged away to get her pillows and comforts.

Nerissa had chosen Will to inflict the wrong Guardian.

It was this little cherub, which would fight back. "_Will did it. She said she wasn't dreaming. She wasn't asleep and I-_"

"_I know, Hay Lin, but you don't think that.. Will can barely even fly and she wouldn't- She's not evi- She's just changed, Hay Lin. She's changed._"

"Oh, haven't you all changed.." Nerissa cursed the smooth sensation, as her finger traced beneath the surface of the burning boils of scoria. The magma ignoring her fingers as though she didn't exist; the reality of burning sensations being warped because Quintessential meant.. Well, if it was carried out, it might as well mean..

**...**

"God!" Drake frowned, raising a brow as Caleb flipped from the thick, royal bedding of sheer wealth; a bedroom that he didn't doubt the boy despised, though Caleb had spent long enough in- "I am trying to sleep, Julian, I am-"

"Caleb, sorry, I-" Drake wasn't sure why he'd come at all; he hadn't been in any foot of the castle, but he'd taken the trip, maybe because he'd made the mistake of.. He should have known, and he wasn't meant to let the words of the prison slip in, nor out.. But he'd never thought anything of the little spider girl. Alesia didn't know her, until he'd described her, but Drake knew when he wasn't wanted. Sometimes he hated it. It made him think of the rebel leader who was only kept alive because now everyone was thankful their _Hero _had killed Phobos. Drake would never tell that he'd been the one to exaggerate the story. He'd like to see someone else as deserving of the praise. "I haven't seen you."

"I've been at school. I'm very tired." Drake could tell from the monotone of syllables that Caleb was being rude; a far more subtle way of showing it than the knives the boy used to carry, and a habit of Earth he supposed. That was where Drake had first heard it, but in Caleb there was something else. Caleb was tired, and Drake wondered when the boy had taken to this fad of _sleeping_. Caleb surely hadn't before, and Drake rolled his eyes, kicking the bed.

"School? You learn a lot there?" Drake allowed his mouth to warp into a smile, as Caleb dryly shook his head. It wasn't a surprise, seen as Drake might believe that Caleb knew everything within an hour of owning the instructions or information, but it was nice, anyway, in the dead lighting of the night, to hear Caleb breathing a laugh finally and Drake could figure he knew it was coming. "Aldarn learnt everything from his father though and-"

But it wasn't going to last, as Caleb pushed himself up and revealed a knife his pulled from the mattress. And then he left, because Drake had ignored the boy's small pleas to sleep.


	12. Chapter 12

Caleb drowned out the noise around him, as every form of life in existence screamed out to him in rude challenging of his precious chasm of dormancy. He was no stranger to the trouble, and wakefulness would long pursue his desires of rest when any function suited his mind. Except that tonight, his mind was not filled with too much thought to sleep, rather Caleb merely found an outsider infiltrating his every attempt. He'd left his bedroom for it.

Now he only had to find a new one.

**...**

_Someone is invading our dreams. _Will felt the air itself becoming a sharp, thinning subject; the ice being carried along her throat despite the sheer intensity of warmth that came the moment she had pulled the door open and let her home be seen for the first time in.. "Will?"

"Um, you..uh.." Her throat was closing up, as paralysing blue stung through her, and Will wish that she had not let Cornelia follow her alone, because she didn't know what to do. "I'm sorry."

"Will, you know you can tell me anything right?" Thin, blush-coloured lips pursed slightly after that and Will wondered momentarily if it was possible, that everything would go away. They were going to share a dream. Taranee wanted them to know that they were dreaming, and to fight and to.. "Will?"

"I thought you went out on a date with Peter Cook." The dry mumble couldn't have expressed much, but Cornelia knew anyway and Will didn't care if Cornelia didn't want to say it.

"He'll be back for Taranee's birthday.. And it was only one so I doubt that I'll.." Eventually Will stopped looking at Cornelia, and pushed her bag from her shoulder to the floor, kicking it off and hoping it was some place near the wall. She was like a diamond. Cornelia Hale's eyes were glassy in that way, and it didn't matter what she was doing, because her hair always slid poker-straight over her shoulders, accentuating every perfection in her. "Why?"

Will wasn't sure that she could answer it, her eyes tracing the girl and she knew that Cornelia was visibly uncomfortable, not that Cornelia couldn't fake it like every other emotion. But Cornelia wasn't a liar, just skilled in sliding past the shoulders of her enemies and Will doubted she wouldn't sneer if Cornelia wasn't busy worrying for the hunch as Will pulled her back a little straighter; a little taller. "I just.. Do you want something o drink or anything."

It was the lame muster of words she had been looking for before, but Will couldn't bare it as the only thing truly between them presented itself, and Will almost felt as though he'd thrown her again. "I'm fine."

"Is h- I'm sorry, because I was meant to be sorry to you."

"Um.." Cornelia frowned at that, as the girl slid her bag down her own arm like silk, and Will knew that she wasn't making sense, but nothing did. Not when it came from her; nothing Will ever said was right, but even the single phrase of confusion sounded better, when it whispered with niceties from Cornelia Hale's lips.

"Um, I was sorry, when I did that, and I shouldn't have."

"You shouldn't have been sorry? Will, I don't-"

"I'm sorry I said that to him." Will bit her lip, her voice had cracked and Cornelia knew because there was never anything better for Will to do than cry, even despite the stubborn pout of her lips and.. "That I- I-"

"I think it's beautiful that you love him."

It wasn't fair, that Cornelia smiled sadly at that moment, and Will knew that she had done it again; a selfishness she couldn't rid herself of being that she couldn't just be sorry to Cornelia. She couldn't just leave it alone, because even terror and fear and hatred and voices melted for Caleb. "I think you're beautiful."

Cornelia didn't answer though, because Will hadn't meant to sound spiteful. But it had never been beautiful before, and Caleb had never looked at Cornelia, and Will had never been jealous because Cornelia had flaws like everyone else. But that was a long time ago.

_I wish I was you._

**...**

Elyon's eyes fell on the sheets, and knew that Caleb had switched rooms without ever knowing how close he was.. Caleb didn't know where her pare- Where Alborn and Muriadel slept. They had already said they didn't mind, but he hadn't even made it into bed.

Prince Phobos would never have strewn himself across the top like that; Earth boxers, no less, and he'd apparently simply fell across the breadth of it. It was barely past dinner; the darkness was only a facade of the night that had not yet reached them. "I'm sorry, Caleb.."

And she really was. He didn't belong here. There was no where that he really seemed to fit, and she felt guilty even for knowing that other people didn't want him. He was too clever, in some places, like school. The rebellion hated his birthright. And he was welcome here, but he didn't fit. He didn't let himself.

At least, Elyon could feel her own self sliding into place. It was easier than she'd ever thought, but Caleb made it look hard sometimes. Being normal.

* * *

><p>Please note that Caleb is actually probably completely normal, as I know my brother to do that all the time, but he's 'weird' because he's in Meridian. Elyon's basically sympathizing, because she felt lonely and out of place in the castle before, but is starting to feel better.<p> 


	13. Chapter 13

It should never have felt so welcoming to Taranee, because Will's apartment.. It was icy cold, and the silence came over every moment screaming loudly. And Will had had the audacity to have slipped off her jacket, apparently muttering shyly about some heat when she'd caught Cornelia staring a good hour ago. Before Taranee had arrived. "S-so.."

Taranee might have thought it was the cold the redhead ignored so well, except that it wasn't uncommon for Will to stutter. There ought to be discomfort in Will Vandom's apartment, because she couldn't decide whether she was one person or another. Will hadn't much been brash since Caleb had arrived, but she honestly seemed to be trying to pretend that nothing was wrong with this for her; the disgust was evident in that Will didn't bother to say anything when they had arrived to now. She didn't look as though she intended to say anything more though. Not to grace them with too much of herself - it was a surprise that Will could be so _nothing _and yet be so full of herself. She doubted it was a coincidence that Will had taken to the further realm of the room; her dormouse without a name brushed under her fingertips in the crook of an arm. "So."

"Do you really think it will fix us?" And then every once in a while, Will sounded as though she might just break in a second. Those were the times that Taranee had to remind herself that Will was hard and cool like rock. But still.. She'd forgotten that Will had been having nightmares before. And there was the fact that those dreams probably weren't anything to do with this.. Guilt almost stung her, but Taranee refused to hand Will anything.

**...**

Susan Vandom had found her back against her doorframe, a constant drilling through her mind as a guilty conscience reminded her of all the things that had and had never been said to her daughter. On her arrival to Heatherfield, Susan had resolved to be open.. But Will had closed and thin ice made the brittle territory dangerous. And Susan knew deep down that she would never have told her daughter, because there was a line when it had come to men. Tony had never listened to a word she had said and Susan found her eye for beautiful things becoming keener, as the man deteriorated from the cool businessman he had been.

But Susan had never said a word and refused to. There were things that Will would need to know, and at a certain point it no longer remained her business to think of her father a lowly, decrepit- And Will had always been clumsy. She might as well be forgetful enough to lose the things he had once bought her. It was probably when Tony had realized his daughter would never be what he wanted that he had decided that the fortune was better not wasted. It was probably when Susan realized her daughter might as well be her father, that Susan found it better not to say anything.

It was funny, that once she'd had someone far more warranted. Will had been almost submissive, in her intense need that Susan needed. This was not the daughter she had asked for, and a once worthy and amiable child became a reason not to open the door. She wasn't an awful mother. Susan simply found there had become more dread in the thought of Will speaking, than the days the castaway orphan refused to tell her all the ways in which Susan was hated. Last night had not been a good night, and perhaps it was impossible to run.

It was the claustrophobia of a cage, and she could only recall being easily thrown the custody from a man possessed.

Dean Collins seemed to manage to adore Will, despite herself. He got caught in his words and could be captured by the beauty in museums she'd otherwise have walked past for her life. Dean Collins saw the disaster and everything around it, and he had a knack for passing no judgement or little. There was so much he could say in such little time, and how she'd laughed when he'd told her he was sorry that he'd missed their chance to speak about the PTA, and the fact that he had lost his liking for the slow, _harmless_ lizard he'd owned at the time. No one need ever know, how often her work that came first was simple selfishness. Sometimes she didn't bother going home at all.

It was deadly late anyway.

Not like Will would notice.

**...**

Will could hear the chills of everyone else's breathing, but in all honesty she still felt warm in the darkness. Silence had fallen for the only voice of coherence and now all that was left was the fire of drilling noises in her; the fridge's hum no longer a backtone and her phone's wail for what seemed like eternity was joined by everything she knew herself to own. But she didn't let herself yell out for them to stop. She didn't let anyone see. Taranee had said they would fix it.

Everything would return.

Will listened to the breathing in the silence of others honestly telling her of all that was wrong with her. Somehow she could hear everything at once. She dragged nimble fingers along her dormouse's back, and knew that her mobile blinked every few minutes with messages from a boy she'd thought she knew to.. It was her fault anyway, for being so stupid not to know. She couldn't even let him in because she didn't want anyone near her. And yet she knew her mother hadn't come home again, because there was no point in the woman coming home. Will wasn't worth her time anyway and her mother was only upset that she couldn't _only _be sending Will away to Fadden Hills.

Not that it mattered.

It was too late anyway.

Will had long learned to hate her mother with a passion, if not for all the things her insanity told her.. Surely someone should have been able to do something.. And Will knew more than the stars in the sky did that her mother heard every word she said to no one in particular. All that anyone wanted was to take her away and Will knew as she lay on her floor, with several girls surrounding her.

It was too late anyway..

Maybe this was just going to be proof of that fact.


	14. Chapter 14

_The wind rustled softly, unaware of the most subtle intruder._

_In a white state of paranoia, Hay Lin's eyes fixated on Will. The girl had figured out, that her friend would never hurt her.  
>It was in that Will Vandom shivered in her sleep and whispered words of pain and self.<em>

_But in a breeze blown from Nerissa's fingertips, the knowing would melt away.  
>Sweet Hay Lin's heart, would melt, away.<em>

Luba watched the scenery with hard eyes. The date would be remembered as a tragedy, and the moment the Keeper had fallen into bliss it had been know. **She is spoiled.  
><strong>The putrid thought spoken in clarity of an uncaring child's mind. What was spoiled would be sanctity. _She _was a child and the Oracle - despite her respects - had been all to cause it. _She _was a babe and they had watched her dance with a curse; drawing her fingertips over the dirty murmur and they had expected her not to be tainted in such a way. In no way, did Luba see spoils; this was a disease corroding her. And the Will was not corrupt. Even the broken soulmate could no longer deny that _broken_ was the word for her.

Luba only watched and felt herself being drawn in slightly to a dream made like a hook.

Nerissa had used and battered her mind:

_Hay Lin would only feel the fires of gold umber staring. Nerissa needn't hide from the wind._  
><em>She rode on the back of his<em>_ lover; because Hay Lin carried a partial of that oramere within. And Nerissa did not waste that  
>fact by waiting.. What better way to enter dreams than in the dreamer's mind.<em>

_Will was not to be touched._

_That much was certain._

No where, no why, no how. Kandrakar would know nothing for now, because Nerissa had almost absorbed that little girl's life.

_The breeze was gentle as it fluttered across a desert.  
>..And sweet Hay Lin was only waiting for the danger..<em>

_The sand was not hers, but she wouldn't see._

_Hay Lin's sweet eyes were on Will._

**...**

_"Will, use the Heart now."_

_Will felt a wish for certain claustrophobia; for seclusion from dark eyes calmly on her as Taranee nodded, watchingly.  
>The role of authority revoked from she so unworthy, and Will pushed the almost crestfallen frustration,<br>remembering her self because Vathek had never been found._

_The Knights of Vengeance had silenced themselves in hiding._

_Cornelia had been more right about her before.  
>Before she'd begun pretending that Will could really tell her anything.<br>Did she really need for Will to tell her?  
>Was it so neccessary that Will admit her defeat and the fact that Cornelia hadn't even done anything wrong to defeat her..<em>

_Will couldn't quite feel the sand between her toes, only noticing that small black eyes watched her stubbornly._

_And then she'd realized that Hay Lin wasn't the only one;  
>they were all waiting for her.<em>

_"Guardians.."_

_There was something familiar in the pain of her mind wanting her to black out. But how could she black out; Will was asleep.  
>Tick. Tock.<em>

_"..Guardians.."_

_"Jeeze, Will, would you quit messing around!" A forgetfulness sensed as Will frowned at at brown locks and blue eyes she should recognise. She.. He..  
>Was she even.. It was she and she bit down the question of these people's names.. Of her own.. There had to be a reason she was clasping onto- "Hurry up and unite us!"<em>

_"Guardians unite!"_

_Will felt herself blushing forcefully at the thought of forgetting herself again.  
>Literally.<em>

_At least she had managed to unite them. Her eyes falling against the toe of Cornelia's heel, for lack of anywhere else to go._

_What was the point in these outfits?_

_Wings?_

_What was the point in hiding when there was nothing but a game in these disguises anyway..?  
>Failure was indisguisable.<em>

_They were all going to die eventually anyway.  
><em>


	15. Chapter 15

_The sands built up around them, and Taranee felt her features hardening with consideration of how the suffocating_  
><em>clay allowed itself to melt into metal; somehow forming alloys of sadistic metal bars; caging them within themselves, Taranee<em>  
><em>had long realized that this intruder couldn't create their lack of existence..<em>

_They would simply be stuck in their own unconscious._

_She did not want to be trapped._

_"I am just a dream."_

_Taranee closed her eyelids over the others, straying to try leaving by flight or power. They had got it all  
>wrong and she had momentarily mistaken Will as trying what she was doing now.<br>But Will was simply doing nothing, and Taranee wondered if the girl could honestly care that little._

_"I AM JUST A DREAM."_

**...**

_"Taranee?" Hay Lin's eyes bulged slightly, as Taranee burned brightly.  
>She was the fire and the fire was her; there was no questioning her methods as smoke-red beamed.<em>

_"We're just figments of our imagination! We can do whatever we want!"_

**...**

_Irma found that the fear of being cage dispersed, as she let herself flow into waves; Hay Lin had long disappeared from sight, though  
>a laughter could be heard in merriment despite the situation.<em>

_"We can be whatever we want!"_

**...**

_Cornelia felt her throat scratching rawly, as Will Vandom waited to disappear from existence;  
>to cease to be. That was what Taranee said. And Cornelia forced a smile and tried to look at the girl staring back.<em>

_"What do you wanna be?"_

_But it was a miracle in itself, that Will's eyes bothered to venture to Cornelia, and Cornelia forced out the image of truth. Because what she wanted  
>was never going to help them, and she would never let Will see because everyone knew that Cornelia had hated everything Will stood for.<em>

_Besides, Cornelia almost always got what she wanted._

_She could be Will in another dream._

_Because Will's umber, hazelnut eyes were brimmed with the truth and Cornelia knew that Will could never be what she wanted._

_Will didn't know._

_"What are you waiting for, Corny?" Cornelia flashed a glare to the brunette or what water radiated her voice, more for the sheer brash insult than her name.  
>They didn't even care anymore, and they didn't even like her anymore. Didn't anyone see? It WASN'T Will's fault!<em>

_But no one would._

_Nothing was ever Cornelia Hale's fault..  
>And none of them were going to own up to causing this train-wreck.<em>

_What was she waiting for?  
><em>

_..What was Will?..  
><em>

_"Applause."  
><em>


	16. Chapter 16

_Nerissa watched, as streaking streams of golden blonde grew in length; breaking through and shattering the bars illuded from the sands.  
>There was no matter, for Nerissa, as instead grew the image of a Sandman; the walking sands of Torus Filney smiled with tremor-worthy unable.<br>A grin that sank constantly into himself as the sandpit tried to contaminate their dreams with fearfulness._

But Nerissa was stood in a bedroom lit only by the flashing numerals of an alarm; she'd taught it to tick. Tick tock. Tick tock.

Silly Will, thought she was crazy.

But Kandrakar would know, as Nerissa grazed the back of her fingers across the pallid cheek of her adversary; stroking the tremble and letting her fingernails caress in smooth lines, until finally the rouge lips that contrasted Will's sickliness lay under Nerissa's thumb. Where, exactly, they belonged; along with the rest of the dishevelled lame who pushed out wheezy breaths as though Nerissa could actually do harm by touch. Feigning some _sixth sense _where Nerissa was an evil.. Well Nerissa wrinkled her nose in disgust and glared to the heavens and Will's ceiling.

She _hoped _Kandrakar was watching, as Nerissa fouled the playing field, though a second thought made Nerissa plunge the knife of Vathek's into the carpet with no intent of truly killing them off in her sleep. The game was too easy. Kandrakar would see. While they sat and did nothing, she could kill them in the dark, but Nerissa was better.

Nerissa was above it.

Will whimpered and Nerissa sneered as she left in silence.

_As is_ they had a chance anyway. She might as well draw on a little longer; Nerissa was full, but in truth she found this a petty way to finish Will for all she was worth. And then.. She didn't have Kandrakar yet..there was still time for the romance of Hearts.

**...**

_Taranee had seen it; her eyes had flashed to Will because her palm had whipped against her own face and a whimper escaped her.  
>And Taranee had almost sympathized with the young girl through the flashing and frequent brilliance of the<em>  
><em>sensation she'd arrived to; pure, raw and energetic lashes of heat radiating from her in a way she could never have imagined.<em>

_She pushed it away though, because Will was playing._

_Why else would she stand there doing nothing?_

_Could anyone really have no idea what to do with themselves?_

_No._

_Taranee grinned to the body of water steering clear of her: Irma refused for her existence to fade due to evaporation and had instantly flown back about a mile._

_And when Will had finally changed, it had been back into herself. Looking as though she might crumble and die in her place, or  
>possibly to wish to. Taranee knew that Will only wished for the hard works to be done for her.<em>

_Taranee knew it wasn't over yet._

_They were still asleep.  
><em>

**...**

In the dimming of dusk, Elyon had allowed herself to roam the peaceful walls; a fondness of Caleb having been the investor of her travels, as she now pushed open the door to a stranger's room. Her fingers trailed the mesh of deep violet and lilacs in sheets as she allowed the breeze of her thoughts to visit Miranda. The girl had gone missing; unnoticed. And Elyon knew exactly whom would carry the knowledge of the girl's current domain.

She did not _wish _to speak with Phobos.

A revelation, at the very least.


	17. Chapter 17

_At the shadow of incline; the winds picked up and the scent of the air filled with knowing.  
>Raythor was aware that the air guardian had used the air to travel herself.<em>

_She was a frequent member of lucid dreaming._

_It was a good thing, in the view of the Changer; the child who stood in defiance despite her fear.  
>Raythor would never respect defiance, though he silenced himself in her bravery:<br>Perhaps it ought at the least be aspired to, that Miranda would finally choose a loyalty in herself, and Raythor would stand by her in knowing of her inability._

_Miranda was nearly blinded._

_Raythor himself had aspired often to Cedric.. A traitor in all rights reserved for the name._

_Raythor stood by and called back what was branded as 'Sandpit'. He glared at the Hunter and the Tracker, as the small frame held out her arm to tell them she was calling off.  
>Miranda had only reasons to hate them, and she refused to move against them.<em>

_That was dedication._

_Her voice whispered along the image of a dream._

_"Let them wake up."_

**...**

Caleb woke with a start in darkness. Blinded by the natural effect of time, he only lay breathing deep, condensed breaths; a sense of disappointment laced into the resounding lightness of his dreaming. No clues.

No information.

Caleb had only found realization in his dreams. Something he hadn't remembered. There was a pounding and dry moisture in his lungs; his throat feeling as cracked and vulnerable as he did lost. The moment he had bowed to Phobos as Phobos predicted. The pain and horror and evil he had needed to see from both sides to believe it - that Prince Phobos might be as vulnerable as him. There was no reason or help in his dreaming; a simple gesture and keepsake of his fear.

It probably didn't help that Caleb awoke in a castle on a bed that was not his own. Caleb realized he had no idea where he was and might be a minute from his Julian or other. He could be incredibly lost... And there was something disturbing in that thought in the dark in the night time. In his nightmares.

Perhaps not as connected to reality as suspected.

Caleb lay and wondered whether sleep or the morning would come faster. His eyes already drifting from position of surveying the room.

**...**

****And Nerissa went unnoticed, but knew well that the forsaken insect of a woman already knew her presence; a tragic fate that Nerissa had been birthed such a known-ness that she could not be so silent to those who knew to sense her. And yet.. Nerissa turned her nose to the gentle click of her body's respondence to her twisting her hand on her wrist. A need for glamour was always in her mist, but Nerissa could now appreciate what a glamour truly was: she could almost feel the body and length of her black waves that coursed past long below her now dwindled waist. "You silly bitch."

"N-Nerissa.."

"You could have lost me my fortune." Nerissa knew this girl smarter than claimed. The bitch was a manipulative spiter; her beauty no more than a disguise for the putrid reality underneath. The girl was only mad of what she'd lost; obsessive and fuelled by hatred. Nerissa could see through her like a window. Or at least, Nerissa thought. Miranda turned and the slap resounded so loud the others might look up at the sound. "You could have cost me my all!"

A disgust warped over Miranda's features as she swallowed the brandish across her face. A disgust, that Nerissa would need to purge from her. "I thought she was under your everything."

"Don't you talk to me."

And with that, the silly girl began leaving.

...Why was it that Nerissa could not withhold herself for lashing out and screaming. "YOU COULD HAVE LOST EVERYTHING!"

"Everything of _yours_."


	18. Chapter 18

Okay, Kalims especially - I think it was the 'I wish I was you.', but there are other confusions alike it in previous chapters.. It's meant to be hard to tell who's thinking it, because in theory we already know that both are - Cornelia is idolising Will and even dreaming as Will, but at the same time Will is incredibly jealous at moments; desperate basically for anything other than being herself..and Corny's life looks pretty good seen as Corny is currently just seeming to be taking on many of Will's old habits and natures (e.g. her goodness, putting others before herself, the slight shy/self-dislike, _Caleb_). The answer _is _in fact that both are saying 'I wish I was you' to the other. Internally.

* * *

><p>The telling wound swell slightly, though the crazed woman's shrill screams created almost as deadening a pulsation in her ears as what was written disgracefully on her pallid face. In red. "Min koitáxeis."<p>

"Raythor.." Miranda gingerly brushed cautious fingertips over the numbing cheek where the sharp palm had been thrown at her. It was almost worse that Miranda had _not _been banished, and tears stung in fright and terror; this simple honour guard would and could not play her Phobos. And where Cedric lay cool and deceiving in his evil, Nerissa was almost more insane than able to even façade such a thing. Miranda couldn't translate the foreign language, but no one even looked to catch her eye. She felt as though talking to no one for even herself was not listening - not an uncommon feeling she could familiarise. Perhaps Raythor was cruel. Perhaps he knew better though, that it was almost desirable to remember everything she had hated in a home it wasn't her right to call. Phobos had invited her, yes, but Miranda held enough of herself to dabble in the foolishness of honestly believing anyone wanted her.. Well. She knew now and pushed her face to the heavens in false pride. "Th- Thank you."

It wasn't as though her mind weren't clear; she'd had days and weeks of contemplation. No meditation as extraordinary as the murmurer's seemed to be - the guard was far too crushed by Caleb's missing; too enthralled with delight that he'd been allowed entrance. It was tiring to hear every word of Caleb's movement, and it had to be tiring for Phobos, who had been offered exactly what he'd wanted and had pushed it aside for the Meridian's _good _Light blinding him. But Miranda had thought; for weeks in a simple silence. There was no doubt in Miranda's due: there would be no haven, because like light and trust, it was deceiving. Miranda could have predicted her fate from the day Lord Cedric had turned. Perhaps it would be him, or another, but Miranda _would _be committed from would be forgotten when she died a quiet death in isolation; a struggling captive, but Miranda refused to bow to the pressure.

Miranda refused to revoke her decency and her finish and regality in composure. Prince Phobos had raised her into the sovereignty and level to be even acceptable as royalty - were it forgotten what she was and whom she could easily change into. Miranda refused to bow and foil what he at least, seemed to find some pride in moulding to satisfaction. She refused to destroy what might be the only thing he owned that Prince Phobos was not ashamed of. At least; she refused to do so with her own hands, but Nerissa had let her walk almost unwounded. "I thought that she would kill me though."

Miranda wasn't exactly sure if that was her personal intention.

**...**

"We did it!" Hay Lin's sweet voice chirped through the icy cold of the night time, as Irma finally arose groggily to their supposed victory. Taranee sat in the kitchen, with her back against the fridge and the lights turned on; sipping some kind of tea or hot chocolate. White opal swimming in glacier blue shivered violently, though Cornelia held the rest of her frame still. Her eyes remained firm on the knife dug into the floor between them, because Cornelia feared that behind it. Everyone seemed to awaken with a soothed refreshed-ness. Dried tears, Cornelia could safely assume, would be rolled over Will with a stubborn hardness that the redhead refused to do more than stare into the other half: into the side of the blade Cornelia could not see.

What couldn't Cornelia see?

"We did it! Can you believe it!" Hay Lin's sweet voice had only been silenced when Will was pushed up; last to wake and tossing without refreshment. In no soothing a manner. "Irma, isn't it brilliant!"

What was on the other side of the blade? Cornelia knew.

It was whatever Will saw in her reflection.


	19. Chapter 19

Innate goodness was in everyone to some extent; or at least, Caleb would like to think so and it was how his mind had hushed enough for his dreaming to turn sweet. Deep breaths that filled his lungs consistently matched the calming rhythm of his head and his chest and his heart beat. But were Caleb to know, that his precious sleep was wasted - or so he might see it, considering he might be working on Will in his dreams - Caleb would never have allowed himself to be so happy.

Yet, silent joy embraced his inner turmoil, in a dream so simple that not only Will was a stranger, but himself. Caleb dreamt only as a boy who marvelled at the sight of the glass city still intact; merely anonymous, because here it was only the view that mattered. And with the most vivid imagination, the world of Metamoor was breathtaking to explore.

For one night, Caleb forgot of his love.

Not out of spite, or contempt, or anything. She was simple gone for the hours of unconscious.. And perhaps the green eyed boy might remember himself once again.

**...**

_"It's interesting, that such a petulant morality as yourself has come here to judge again.. Or perhaps it is the fact that you're well on half naked." Elyon Escanor could feel the glassy air tremble, as her head shot up and she instantly turned to face him. The smell of pure metal briefly tugged at her senses; the cool effect it had for being the floor and walls.. There was a slightest breeze, that proved only atmospheric to those paying cruel attention, and yet she caught the jest of dance that few strands of platinum took to betray his always aristocrat regale of formality. She knew full well she was dressed, though she doubted the Prince would do anything but blame her chemise on her always 'vulgar smuttiness'._

On most occasions, Elyon knew herself to be unable, when resisting such as an insult to herself. Even now she took the small step until she had closed of space between them; it was an instinct betraying nature and she condemned her eyes for being so endeared with that poor indelicacy of her affection. But ice and blue, and just a hint of silver swirling into it felt like lightning to look at, never mind the aphrodisiac that was being close enough to see her own reflection. Her own reflection.. Without choice, it was by far a humble comparison; her commonality was striking, if not even duller that the commoners themselves. She had never been much noticed, and the simple fact that she had been sought for almost cause elation to forgive his reasoning.. Maybe if shed had eyes like that she'd have managed on without him. Not to say that attraction would be banished, but at least she would be able to take care of herself rather than yearning. Her imagination was of something.. She couldn't prevent herself from tensing, a queasy bubble threatening its burst at the pit of a heavy stomach and she made the mistake of grasping a bar in front of her for support. "You don't have the right to-"

"Your mind or your body..?" When cold velvet's fingers scratchily wound over hers, Elyon found herself wondering where the magical bindings had gone, much less how she was supposed to escape when she could feel a cool breath passing her left cheek; grazing over a far more cotton in comparison to his skin, and a flash of his eyes to their meeting hands told her that he could feel the difference of texture and quality. There had certainly been a grin in the snarl of words he'd said hypocritically. He'd taken both from her willing self; it was merely his unwillingness to face the cold notion that had corrupted his success in this championship. But he was looking at her now, and perhaps the humour of prison had worn off, though the smirk still curled maliciously over his face causing tremors.

It was all she could do, to be slow and defined in leaning her self onto thin pillars of metal that dug sinfully into her hip as she willed for the separation to diminish. When she could do no more, and if any he had moved a little back, Elyon closed her eyes and knew her destiny. "Both. Take both._"_

...Elyon Escanor found herself awoken in the darkness and the mirth of nigh time, a cool sweat over her forehead and her shoulders. And hadn't her eyes just once or twice swept over Caleb despite their _almost_ relation?

She had honestly not thought of Phobos in more than passing; even distaste..

Why was this happening again and right now? Elyon felt sober coolness washing through her; her fingers lacing over the foulest pit of her stomach. Where something stirred despite her hatred. Something stirred and Elyon hated herself maybe almost as much as her brother.

Why did he have to be so beautiful?

In dreams and reality, of which neither we can ever have control over. Shameless tears fell and smudged into her nightwear; shameless because she was tearful. It was not her self-loathing that Elyon was shamed of. It was that something, in the pit of her ginger, warped stomach. Sweet dreams.


End file.
